If You Hack NBC, You Don't Get to Meet Tom Brokaw

subgeek writes "Security Focus Online is carrying this story about the spot that Adrian Lamo almost had on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. NBC changed their mind after they realized the possible legal implications of filming someone hack corporate systems. NBC also seemed a bit touchy that Lamo had gotten into their system so handily. According to the article, it took him about five minutes and one guessed password to get inside NBC's intranet from a computer at a Kinko's. Lamo's comment: "It was a very full service system.""

Comments

if a crime, is it wrong?

[wytcld]

Is the basic doctrine here criminal trespass? Compare normal trespass. People are allowed to walk across your land and appreciate the view there unless you have taken very specific measures of placing precisely worded signs at precise intervals (except in Sweden, where people can cross your land, period). Having a fence around the land does not make it trespass to hop the fence. Having a fence and a gate where the gate has a mechanism that swings it open to anyone clever enought to utter "Open sesame" in front of it in no way makes it illegal to cross your land after going through that gate.

Granted, buildings are treated differently. (Is cyberspace inside or outside space for these purposes?) But there's still a general right of public access to places of business as long as the door opens and there's no sign or guard specifically informing you you can't go farther.

Arresting someone for what this kid did is on the level of arresting someone on a shoplifting charge who has merely walked into the store. You've walked in, so you could take something, so you're guilty?

Re:Obligitory Space Balls Reference

[Anonvmous Coward]

" What's the world coming to when life immitates parodies immitating life?"

Isn't that the point of a parody? To show how absurd things would be if taken to extremes? They're bound to be right once in a while.

Spaceballs warned us of this day!!

Re:Obligitory Space Balls Reference

[JohnDenver]

1. Parodies usually immitate life's dumbest moments so as to demonstrate what NOT to do...

2. In my musings I talk about life immitating a parody (Oppostie of #1)

Can you see WHY you didn't understand my this angle of humor and how you might choke the life out of future jokes my not taking the time to find the irony, or atleast the illusion of irony? (Sometimes the fucking joke is the illusion of irony)

Do you get it now? (Christ, I'm feeling hateful today)

Re:Obligitory Space Balls Reference

[Anonvmous Coward]

"Can you see WHY you didn't understand my this angle of humor and how you might choke the life out of future jokes my not taking the time to find the irony, or atleast the illusion of irony?"

Ya dun need to get shitty with me. I added the 'Spaceballs told us this day would come!' comment just so you'd know I got the joke. I found a moment to ask an insightful question and I did.

You need to grow up. You accuse me of not taking the time to find something in your post yet you didn't take the time to find something in mine.

I'll be sure to beat you over the head with every little point I make from now on so that you don't miss something like that again, k?